After a brilliant start to the 2025 old bird programme, racing has rather petered out for West Cumbrian fanciers with some difficult races.
The final inland race was held on Friday from Marlborough and the entry of 212 in the entire Cumbria Combine reflected how things have gone.
Be that as it may, the two outstanding Derwent Valley Federation lofts dominated again taking six of the first nine spots on the Combine sheet.
An incredible old bird season for Wayne McLuckie ended with six of those tickets – 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 9 – as he won both Workington Victoria and Workington Social as well the Derwent Valley Federation.
Of his latest success Wayne said: “The winner is a yearling blue hen who is the daughter of our good breeding hen off UK Kittel when paired with a son of Super Stefanie.
“She had a 4th and 6th as a young bird, beaten by loft mates both times. This year she has had a 1, 4, 4, and 2 in Workington Social and a 1, 2 in Victoria, She’s also had 1, 3 and 15 in the Amal.
“That’s the 16th winner UK Kittel hen has bred. She came from Les Green of Manchester and her sire UK Kittel was sold at auction for £8,000 to a guy from Germany. He was later stolen from his loft.”
But the race also provided Wayne with a sleepless night for his remarkable hen Geordie Lass had not made it home on the day. Imagine his joy and relief when she returned before 6am the following morning.
A three-year-old she really has a remarkable record in club, Fed, Amal, Combine and open races.
Winning tickets alone are – seven in club races, two in show races and four in Cumberland Social Circle.
She has several runner-up tickets – three in club, one Fed, one Amal, one Combine, one show race and three Social Circle. Here’s also a mountain of other tickets across all the various organisations.
As Wayne says: “A once in a lifetime pigeon bred by our very good friend Alfie Hawthorn.”
I don’t think there’s much doubt that at four years of age next season, and with that recent scare behind her, Geordie Lass will be heading for the stock loft!
Meanwhile Kevin Evans, the other leading Workington loft had 3, 6 and 8 Combine while David Harrison, the only fancier to send in the West Cumberland Federation was 12th Combine.
Those have been the stand-out lofts this old bird season, but there’s another one which has produced a big finish to the old bird programme.
Andrew Berwick and Kenneth Watson of Aspatria have won five in a row in the competitive Flimby club.
Leading them home from Marlborough was a yearling chequer cock on widowhood for his second win in four races. He was also second at Stratford when two came with the winner and third from Holmsley.
He’s out of the stock loft being a direct son of our Eijkampt cock paired to a Van Den Bulck from WDW.
Andrew says: “We had two together on Friday and second into the clock was another yearling chequer cock on widowhood who now has three seconds. He was bred by Kevin Evans who has had such a brilliant season.”
The race had been brought forward to Friday because of the poor forecast for Saturday and Sunday. They were liberated at 6-25am in a light west wind which turned south west in the midlands.
The winning bird for McLuckie brothers was clocked at 10-52am, covering the 234 miles at 52 miles per hour.
Young bird racing starts on Saturday with the traditional pipe opener from Flookburgh while there is still one more channel race on July 19 from Vire when the youngsters will also race again from Flookburgh.
CUMBRIA COMBINE (212 birds): 1, 2, 4, 5, McLuckie bros Workington Victoria) 1543, 1542.88, 1542.6, 1542.5; 3, 6, Evans and Abraham (Workington Victoria) 1542,86, 1542.4.
WEST CUMBRIA AMALGAMATION (107 birds): 1, 2, 4, 5, McLuckie bros Workington Victoria) 1543, 1542.88, 1542.6, 1542.5; 3, 6, Evans and Abraham (Workington Victoria) 1542,86, 1542.4.
DERWENT VALLEY FEDERATION 99 birds): 1, 2, 4, 5, McLuckie bros Workington Victoria) 1543, 1542.88, 1542.6, 1542.5; 3, 6, Evans and Abraham (Workington Victoria) 1542,86, 1542.4.
WEST CUMBERLAND FEDERATION (1 sent 8): 1, 2, D. Harrison (Egremont) 1525, 1325.
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, McLuckie bros 1543, 1542.8, 1542.6, 1542.5, 1542.4, 1542.3.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (4 sent 34): 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, McLuckie bros 1548, 1547.8.1547.66, 1547.5, 1547.3; 4, Evans and Abraham 1547.64.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (4 sent 11): 1, N. and G. Wordsworth 1450; 2, J. Devlin 1273.
FLIMBY HS (6 sent 46): 1, 2, 4, Berwick, Watson and co 1576.5, 1576.2, 1516; 3, 5, Hodgson and Saldert 1531, 1413; 6, A. Bromley and co 1378.
CUMBERLAND SOCIAL CIRCLE (10 sent 20): 1, McLuckie bros 1542; 2, 4, Berwick, Watson and co 1528, 1469; 3, 5, Hodgson and Saldert 1519, 1397; 6, J. Devlin 1274.
